Crime by type
Denver Crime by Type
A breakdown of how each major category of crime in Denver compares to the national average.
Overview
What drives crime in Denver
Not all crime moves together. In Denver, property offenses — led by motor vehicle theft and theft from vehicles — make up the large majority of reported incidents, a trend that accelerated sharply across the Front Range before beginning to ease. Violent crime is rarer but more geographically concentrated, clustering along a handful of corridors rather than spreading evenly across the city. The categories below show where Denver runs hotter or cooler than a typical American community.
By category
Rates and odds by crime type
Estimated annual rate per 100,000 residents and your everyday odds, with risk level relative to the U.S. average.
Drill down
What's actually reported in Denver
The most common specific offenses behind each category, from reported incident descriptions.
Theft 22,674 reports
Assault 6,945 reports
Vandalism 6,518 reports
Other 6,047 reports
Burglary 4,002 reports
Retail Theft 3,335 reports
Detail
Crime types in Denver, explained
Motor Vehicle Theft
Motor vehicle theft has been Denver's signature crime-rate story, with Colorado posting some of the nation's highest auto-theft rates before recent declines. Catalytic-converter and vehicle break-ins remain common around transit lots and dense apartment districts.
Theft / Larceny
Theft — shoplifting, package theft, and theft from vehicles — is the highest-volume category citywide and a major driver of Denver's overall index, concentrated in retail and nightlife corridors.
Burglary
Residential and commercial burglary is spread across the city but tends to rise in transitional commercial areas and along the East Colfax corridor.
Aggravated Assault
Aggravated assault is the most common serious violent offense and is concentrated in a small number of neighborhoods and entertainment districts rather than spread evenly.
Robbery
Robbery clusters around transit hubs, the downtown core, and commercial strips, with notable activity along East Colfax and parts of Capitol Hill.
Homicide
Homicide is rare relative to total crime and is heavily concentrated in specific corridors; year-to-year counts swing significantly given the small numbers involved.